Screw driver



A. N. PLANTE Jul 1, 1930.

SCREW DRIVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 12 1928 I July 1, 1930. I IPLAMTE 1,768,527

SCREW DRIVER Filed Nov. 12, 1928 2 shets-sheez 2 Patented July 1, 1930urr ARTHUR 1v. PLANTE, F TORRINGTON, ooivnncrrou'r v scRnw DRIVERApplication filed November 12 1928. Serial No. 318,705.

This invention relates to screwdrivers and particularly to a toolof thischaracter provided with a member or members having two or more screwengaging bits available for 5 use at different angles relative to thelongitudinal extent of the tool. In the numerous structures where screwsare employed to secure parts together it frequently happens that whilecertain of the screw heads are directly accessible for engagementtherewith of a srtaight screw driver applied in the direction of thelongitudinal axis of said tool, other screwheads may be inaccessible forrotation in this manner due to overlying or adjacent parts and may beconveniently actuated only by means of a screw bit angularly extendedfrom its supporting shank. In certain cases it may be desirable that theextent of such a bit in the direction of its width I be substantiallycoincident or parallel'with a plane defined by the screw driver shaftand in other cases it may be desirable that the ex tent of such a bit bein transverse relation to such a plane. Theobject of my invention is theprovision in a screw driver of an adjustable blade or blades havingseveral bits avail able for application to screw heads respectively fromvarious desirable angles. To

this end my invention consists in the ar- 0 rangement of elementsdisclosed in the-forms of embodiment of my invention illustrated i theaccompanying drawings.

7 In the drawings, V

Figure 1, is a view of a screw driver handle and shank with the lattersupporting an adjustable blade provided with bits extended at differentangles. p 1 Figure 2, is a sectional view on line 22 40 0f Fig. 1. i I Iv t Figure 3, is a detailview of theshank and blade shown in Fig. 1,indicating an intermediate' position of the blade (luring change thereoffrom one position to another.

3, showing the blade in a different position from that in which it" isshown in Figs. 1

and 2.1 t

Figure 5, is a side view of a screw driver 59 having ashank of a formdifferent from that Figure 4, is a detail view similar to Fig;

shown in Figs. 1 and 2 said shank support it 7 ing two blade elementsinstead of one.

Figure 6, is aviewof the blade carrying end of the tool shank shown inFig. 5, as it would appear-viewed from below in said figure, butwith-the blade elements shifted from a normal position to one where oneof the ele- 'mentsis operable for axial or angular adjustment. Figure ofFig. 6.

Figure 8, is a view similar to Fig. 6, show- 7 is a sectional view online 77' i ng one of the blade, elements in a normal I positiondifferent from that in which it is shown in Fig. 5.

, Figures 9, 11 and 10, are views similar respectively to'Figs. 6, 7 and8, but showing a different form of blade element.

Referring to the drawings the screw driver illustratedin Figs. 1, 2,3and 4 includes the shank 1, handle 2,. and blade 3. The shank is formedof a suitablebar of stocln prefer- 1 ably though not necessarily squarein cross section. At one end the bar is somewhat fiattened as at 4', andbent upon itself to form a loop'5, having sleeved thereon a length oftubing 6, to form a hand grip. The outer end of the flattened portion 4,is fitted against v a shoulder 7, of the body of the shank and firmlyheld thereto as by a rivet 8. The blade or toolsup'porting end of theshank isflattened' as at 9, and provided with an elon- I gated slot 10,the outer end of the slot being substantially concentric with the end.of the shank which is preferably rounded for a'purpose that willpresently appear. Formed integrally with the blade 3, are the screwengaging bits 12, 13 and 14;, each of which extends at a different anglerelative to the main portion of the blade, thatis to say the bit 12, atone end of the blade extends flatwise therewith, bit 13, at the otherend of the blade extends transversely at right angles thereto, and thebit 14, at oneQside of the blade extends lengthwise thereof andat rightangles thereto.

The shank and blade are assembled in flatwise relation to each other andmay be held together by'means of a stud or bolt 15, fitted as shown to'ahole inthe blade and extending through the elongated slot in the shank.It will be apparent that this arrangement may be reversed, that is, theelongated slot may be made in the blade and the hole in the shank. henthe blade and shank are associated as shown, the blade together with thestudis movable longitudinally of the shank within limits defined by theslot. With the stud at t 1e rear of the slot, the laterally extended bit14, engages the side of the shank and serves to hold the blade rigidtherewith,- see position of blade shown in Fig. 1, with bit 13 inposition for use. To reverse this position of the blade and bring bit 12into position for use, the blade together with the stud is movedlongitudinally of the shank to place the stud at the forward end of theslot and concentric with the end of the shank so that the blade may beturned about the axis of the studand then moved backward to lockingposition again, that is with the stud at the rear of the slot and withbit 14, serving as a locking flange against the shank, same as shown inFig. 1, but with the bit 14, against the opposite side of the shank. Thebit 14, is in position for use in either of the described positions ofthe blade.

Referring to Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 1 1, the numeral 21, designatesa type of screw driver shank with which may be assembled to embody myinvention the various forms out bit elements presently to be described.This form of shank may consist of a strip of metal bent upon itself andprovided with a rubber hose handle sleeved upon the intermediate portionof the strip as shown in Fig. 5.- The resulting form of handle may bedefined as having a bifurcated shank which, although not essential to myinvention has been tound to be well adapted for my purpose.-

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, blade elementssecured between the shank furcations 22 and 23, are designated by 24 and25, respectively. A rivet 26, extends through both elements or bladesand through slots 27 and 28, in the respective furcations 22 and 23. Asshown in Fig. 5, the element 24, is flanged at both sides 29 and 30, toengage furcation 22, and presents a bit 31, extended at the extreme endof the tool and at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the screwdriver shank.

The blade 25, is flanged on one's'ide as at 32, to engage furcation 23,and presents two bits 33 and 34, extending respectii' ely in sub- 7stantial alignment with the longitudinal axis 01 the shank and at rightangles thereto in a plane at right angles to thatof bit 31. As shown inFig. 5, the bits 31 and 33, are in position for use, the assembledblades 24 and 25, together with rivet 26, having been slipped back fromthe position in which they are shown in Fig. 6. The blades 24 and 25,together with rivet 26, are permitted to move longitudinally of theshank to either the position shown in Figs. 5 and 8, or to the positionshown in Fig. 6, by virtue of the elongated slots 27 and 28. In eitherposition blade 24 is prevented from rotative movement about the rivetaxis by the side flanges 29 and 30, which engage furcation 22, and inthe position shown in Figs. 5, and 8, blade 25 is prevented from similarmovement by the side flange 32, which engages furcation 23. In theposition of the blades shown in Fig. 6,- however', blade 25- isrotatable from the position there shown an amount which brings flange32, in alignment with the opposite side of furcation 23, and in the twoextreme positions of the blade 25 thus defined, it may be immovablylocked to the shank by a longitudinal movement therebetween, permittedby the elongated slots 27 and 28. In one position bit 33,- is availablefor use and in the other position bit 34, is available for use.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 9, i0 and 11, a single blade40, is shown which is provided with three bits 41, 42, and 43, and aside flange 44. Movement of this blade longitudinally of the shank toits forward position permits the blade to be turned as desired about itspivotalrivet 45. The blade may then be locked in the desired position bymoving it to its backward position.-

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is, v

1.- A tool of the class described including in combination a shank, ablade having an angularly extended bit, and a stud for associating theblade with the shank, said studbeing fixed inone member and movable in aslot in the other member whereby when the stud is at the outer end ofthe slot the blade is free to partially rotate about the axis of thestud and when the stud is at the inner end of the slot the blade islocked to the shank by engagement therewith of the angularly extendedbit.

2. A tool of the class described including in combination, a shankand ablade, one of said members having an angularly extended flange, and astud for associating the blade with the shank, said stud being fixed inone member and movable in a slot in the other member whereby when thestud is at one end of the slot the member to which the stud is fixed isfree to partially rotate about the axis of the stud and when the stud isat the other end of the slot the said membersare locked togetherengagement of one with the flange of the other. v

3. A tool of the class described including in combination a bifurcatedshank, a blade having an angularly extended bit, and a stud forassociating the blade with the shank, said stud being fixed in onemember and movable in a slot or slots in the other member whereby whenthe stud is at one end of the slot or slots the blade is free topartially rotate about the axis of the stud and When'the stud is at theother end of the slot or slots the blade is locked to the shank byengagement there- With of the angularly extended bit.

4. A tool of the class described including in combination, a shank, ablade comprising a fiat body portion having a bit extended therefrom inthe plane of the body of the blade, and a pair of bits extendedsubstantially at right angles to said plane of the body of the bladerespectively in opposite directions therefrom and in respective planessubstantially at right angles to each other, and a stud for associatingthe blade With the shank, said stud being fixed in one member andmovable in a slot in the other member Wherebywhen the stud is at one endof the slot the blade is free to partially rotate about the axis of thestud and When the stud is at the other end of the slotthe' blade islocked to the shank by engagement therewith of one of the angularlyextended bits.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

' ARTHUR N. PLANTE.

